A Flightless Bird, An Unrelenting Sword
by azurecrescent11
Summary: After the events of Punk Hazard, Captain Tashigi resumes her normal line of work with the Marines. However, those very events cause her to question her own righteousness and her place in the Marines. Will she join the Straw Hats despite vowing to protect a vow of seeking Justice?
1. Chapter 1: Stop and Go

A Flightless Bird, An Unrelenting Sword

Chapter 1: Stop and Go

Tashigi tries Assertion!

The wanted poster hanging above her dresser, she'd stare at it everyday. A million thoughts racing top speed through her mind. Mostly anger, but often longing, though no one could ever know that. When would be the next time she would ever see him? A feeling of a million years couldn't come close to thi-

"TASHIGI!" A thunderous voice jolted her off her bed and into the dock hallway where Vice Admiral Smoker greeted her. "Sm-Smoker san! I'm sorry I got a little carried away reading-" He fanned his hand in the air. "No matter. Did you finish signing off on those documents I handed to you yesterday?" Tashigi produced the aforementioned papers. "Yes sir! They're right here." She handed them over to him. His face stern as ever, he flipped through the papers and handed them to a ship hand. "We'll be at sea for at least another week until we reach the next large island. Use this time to be productive Captain." "Yes sir!"

She was tense until he was completely out of sight, and when he was, she sighed of relief. "I suppose I should practice my Haki abilities. Smoker says I'm not quite ready to use it in battle…" With that she grabbed her Shigure and made her way to the training quarters. Walking through the ship, she remembered two years ago when she had first met _him_. The only time he stood on this ship, "working" to pay for her crushed glasses. She smiled and laughed a little at the thought. Her mind trailed to last week, and their fight against the Harpy Monet. He saved Smokers life at Alabasta, and he saved hers there. Granted, he annoyed her to say the least but he couldn't be that bad, could he? He's a strong warrior, dedicated and faithful to his nakama. Despite his occupation, he'd never actually raped or pillaged had he? She caught herself in the mist of reasoning this pirate's innocence and continued to the training quarters.

Practicing her technique she masterfully drew her blade and begun attacking the targets in the room. "I have to prove to him that I am not his subordinate!" With each thought each slice became more vigorous putting her in a fighting trance like state. The next time they met he would certainly be su-

"BELE BELE BELE BELE…BELE BELE BELE…" The den den mushi anchored on the wall began to ring. She sheathed Shigure and went to answer it. "Who would disturb me at this time?" Frustrated at her thoughts consistently being interrupted she harshly answered.

"Yes?! What is it?!" The sound of a throat clearing on the other line. "Oh, um Smoker san! My apologies! Yes sir?" His voice sounding nonetheless stern, "I have a mission for you. Report to my office." CLICK!

For one second she thought of quitting the Marines, just one second!

She made her way to Smokers quarters. The door was open and he sat behind his desk with his legs propped on it. It was at least 94 degrees outside due to the wild nature of Grand line weather. His coat was off leaving his chest bare, but there he was still smoking two cigars, possibly generating another two degrees just like that.

Tashigi blushed at the sight of her superior. She didn't think a single image in the world could look as machismo as he sitting there. He blankly stared at her. Was he even blinking? Her frustration was pent up all day, she was boiling due to the temperature, and a million other crazy (and perhaps a bit risqué) thoughts were circling her mind about a certain marimo pirate. If he could sit before her with no care of exposing himself, so could she!

"Excuse me Vice Admiral, but I'm finding it extremely smothering in here." She took off her pink Marine coat and threw it to the ground. She then unbuttoned her top, stopping just before her chest was revealed. She appeared to have confidence in asserting her femininity, but inside she was trembling, daring to compete in this way with Smoker. But still, as if oblivious to her wants, he remained blank faced.

"There is a Pirate Crew on a small island about 115 miles from our current location. Their captain is wanted for robbery, and murder. Bounty: 1,000,000 Beli. It should be no problem for you to subdue and bring him aboard for an arrest should it?" He blew out a large plume of smoke. Tashigi crossed her arms. "What if I refuse?" He sat expressionless.

"Did you say something Captain?"

" _What am I doing? I can't stand to Smoker San! But I haven't had a day to myself in months! And my training is constantly interjected! And look at him! Just because he's a man doesn't mean he can intimidate me with his body like that! I'm a captain now, I've got to be a little more assertive!"_

"Yes I did Admiral Smoker." His arms reaching across the room in the form of smoke he shut the door. "This had better be good Tashigi."

She walked up to his desk and firmly placed her hands down on it. Leaning over like that her chest was revealed in his direct line of sight. But his poker face- _Smoker face_ was absolutely unchanging. "I'm not going. I'm busy training. Send some of the soldiers in my stead Smoker." He raised an eyebrow and blew out another plume of smoke. It covered her body and warmly heated her. " _Urgh…now he's toying with me. He's just trying to break me that's all."_

"Did you fall on your head or something Tashigi?"

She pouted and puffed her cheeks. How dare he make fun of her! At this his face turned bright pink. He blushed much like… much like the pirate hunter, when he saw her make the same expression! Could that mean?

" _A woman has desires too! I've been a good soldier to him for years, he could at least give me a break…I'm sure by now I deserve at least one."_

Acting out of herself she slid over the table and into his lap, knocking his cigars out of his mouth. He didn't budge.

She unsheathed Shigure and held it to his neck. Still nothing.

On a whim, she kissed him. She clenched her eyes tight. " _Oh god, what am I doing?!"_

He kissed her back. She felt warm smoke encapsulating her body. His arms. _"Oh god what is_ _ **he**_ _doing?!"_

The smoke lifted Shigure from her hands and sheathed it into its Saya. He broke the kiss. "Tashigi, you're overworked. But I trust you exclusively to get the most sensitive missions done. I understand what's wrong, but there's no need for this." She sat still on his lap, glaring indefinitely into his eyes. He removed her glasses. "Roronoa Zoro, I'm not him." She sensed a tinge of child like jealousy in his voice.

In shock, her eyes welled. How could he know? Was it that obvious? Had he been reading her travel log? That damn wanted poster hanging above her dresser; it's been there for at least 1½ years by now. Surely he noticed her strange obsession with it. But what did it matter to him?

He held her close to his warm body. "Smoker san…" "I'm sending you there on intel that the Straw Hats are there. I know what this means to you. To confront Zoro." For some reason she sensed a sadness in his voice. Did he not want to lose her to Zoro? No, impossible! Smoker was her superior, her mentor, and her best friend. There's no way he could ever have interest on the clumsy marine he trained and worked with for years. He held her face, his hands concealed behind rough leather gloves maintaining his stolid expression despite the solidarity he felt with Tashigi in that moment.

"I know once you leave for that island I might not see you for a long time. I've known since last week you've been thinking about that Straw Hat, questioning your justice." Tashigi gasped and held her mouth. He shrugged. "Sorry. Your travelog…" Tears began rolling down her face. She bit her bottom lip. She gathered her balance of off his lap and walked to the window. The crystal blue ocean shimmered, illuminated by the harsh sun. She longed to be out there, free from the politics and struggles of being a marine. Free to share her dream of reclaiming the worlds most infamous meito with, Zoro. Smoker folded his hands and rest them on his head.

"I'M SORRY SMOKER SAN! I'M RENOUNCING MY TITLE! I…I WISH TO JOIN THE STRAW HATS!"

She couldn't contain the influx of tears that shot out of her eyes with no restraint. She fell to the ground and a gust of smoke blew to her. He supported her standing up and guided her to the bed in the room. They sat. "If that's where you feel justice lies, I won't stop you." "Please Smoker, tell me, do you feel as though I am betraying you?" He smirked "I trust your judgment little lady." He ran his fingers through her hair. "Oh Smoker san…don't call me that." She laughed and wrapped her petite arms around his large muscular frame. He added, "And besides, who said I won't be right behind you?" They met eyes. _This is the first time I actually see him smiling like this…He looks, so happy._

"Smoker, would it be wrong of us to…..?"

Tashigi looked down too afraid to request to share their bodies for the first and last time. She's always wanted to, and some small part of her hoped that he secretly longed for her as well. Of all of the years they've been traveling, the pair somehow managed to avoid any contact in quarters too close for comfort. But Tashigi knew as the only woman aboard their ship that the marine soldiers weren't the only ones gaping and fantasizing about their katana wielding captain. However, she also knew very well Smoker could sternly keep himself composed in the most tempting of situations.

She laid herself on the bed unbuttoning the remaining constriction that prevented him from seeing her bare soft skin. He said nothing; simply shaking his head and pulling her so close to him their chests grazed lightly and held their positions. Seeing her so vulnerable and pinned beneath him ignited a flame inside him that sent his blood rushing. He wasn't very good at being docile, but he certainly didn't want to hu-

"OI OI! Captain Eyeglasses! Are you okay?" "Huh?" Tashigi's vision was clouded as she awoke with the glaring sun piercing her eyes. A blurry figure stood in front of her as she scrambled for her Shigure. "St-stand back! I will strike!" She pushed her body back in the sand to evade her attacker, or so she thought. "Hey calm down will you?! I was trying to give you this clutz." Her glasses fell in her lap and she quickly shifted them on her face.

"RORONOA ZORO?!"


	2. Chapter 2: Two Swordsmen, One Dream

Chapter 2: Two Swordsmen, One Dream

Zoro is Sick?!

"You must've fallen hard huh? Typical, you haven't changed much in two years." Zoro helped Tashigi to her feet smirking at her clumsiness. She pushed him off, "Thanks but no thanks Roronoa. Where am I? What am I doing here with you?" He shrugged, "As if I would know. This fell out of your pocket." He handed her a folded wanted poster and a note. "My crew went deeper into the island to stock up, and guarding the ship I stumble upon you here on the sand by the coast. Knowing you I figured out pretty quickly what might have happened." Rolling her eyes she opened the poster. "Cracked Shells Pirate Captain Conch James WANTED. BOUNTY: 1,000,000 Beli". Zoro laughed heartily, "Doesn't seem like a real catch to me! Must be a pretty important mission those Marines sent you on 'Captain'." Tashigi glared at him and proceeded to open the accompanying note:

 _I will join you in the near future. Be safe,_

 _Smoker_

Slowly her memory started to regain itself, and her mission became clear to her. She was to subdue Conch James and make an arrest bringing him back to the ship for processing. But what about her brief rendezvous with Smoker? Had that actually happened? Was it a dream? Was she here to join the Straw Hats? She couldn't think about any of it now, for she had a mission to complete.

"Well, thank you for returning my glasses but I must be going Roronoa. I have a job to do." She dusted the sand off of herself realizing that her shirt was still half unbuttoned! Her face quickly painting itself pink, she turned her back to Zoro and swiftly buttoned it back up _._

 _So it wasn't a dream! Ughhhh…this can't be real…_

"Fine by me. I've already got an entire ship to look after. Certainly don't need you tagging along adding extra weight." He started to walk away back towards where he believed the Thousand Sunny was. Tashigi placed a hand on her hip and sighed. _Does he really not see that his ship is the opposite direction?_ She found herself no longer becoming furious with Zoro's trite and childish insults, rather, she thought of it as conformation in his interest in her. Much like boys in kindergarten picking on the girl they like, that's how she chose to see it.

"Wait Ror-, Zoro!" He barely turned his shoulder around at her call.

"Your ship, it's this way!" She pointed behind her where the Thousand Sunny towered in the ocean blue. He jumped and grunted this, his face turning red. "I knew that!" He started to walk back in Tashigi's direction. "Also! My Shigure, it needs sharpening before I use it! Would you happened to have the tools to do that on your ship?!"

He sighed and smirked to himself, _I knew she would try to find a way to follow me._ "Come on, if you want it done Marine girl!" She followed behind him towards the Straw Hats ship. He walked in silence as she walked beside him. Every once and while she would glance at him, noting how much he'd changed in two years. The scar across his eye, the strength he now possessed, it scared her just to think of it.

They got aboard the ship to meet a certain blue nosed reindeer standing on the deck greeting Zoro. "Zoro! You brought friends! Great, I was getting bored watching you work out!" "Oi Chopper, this is Captain Clumsy, address her properly!" Tashigi folded her arms and rolled her eyes and Chopper ran to her laughing. "Hi there! I remember you from last week! Hmm…Tashigi was it? You're a Marine captain but Zoro told me last week that you're okay!" He gave her his version of thumbs up with his hooves and smiled cheekily. _Zoro… spoke of me?_ "Well Mr. Chopper, I'm glad we can meet on such good terms thanks to Zoro, and..." she bent down to match his height, "…you are just too adorable!" Choppers face turned red as he smiled and begun his happy dance. "No, No asshole! I'm not cute! You won't make me like you more with your compliments!" He continued his dance as Tashigi laughed. Zoro smiled to himself watching Chopper. "Chopper, why don't you go refill those barrels with some water, I'm gonna help Eyeglasses out with something." Chopper jumped up and saluted, "Yes sir!" He ran to the stock room to carry out his task.

"It's Tashigi, Zoro." He looked at her appearing uninterested. "I would prefer to be addressed by my proper name." He laughed at her absurd request, "When you earn it." She pouted and thought to ask him the same question she did last week about his supposed superiority to her, but she found it futile. Zoro glared at her pouting face and began to turn red again. "Oi, Oi! What's with that face? Stop it!" She crossed her arms. "Can you please just help me with my Katana and I'll take my leave?" He motioned her to follow him to Ussop's workshop.

When they arrived Tashigi instantly noticed that Zoro's own Meito were by the weapon forging equipment also being sharpened. She ran giddy as a child over to them. "This is the Shusui! One of the 21 O Wazamono grade meito! Oh its structure is fabulous! And this blade! The durability of the craftsmanship is unprecedented!" Suddenly, he was brought back to the time when they first spoke in that old geezers sword shop, and she selected the Sandai Kitetsu for him, he would never forget it. To his annoyance, every time he looked at the blade he thought of her. Breaking from his trance, Zoro ran over to her "Hey, Tashigi! Don't touch my swords you sword freak!" She sheathed the Shusui and looked at Zoro, a puzzled look on her face.

"Did I somehow _earn_ the right in a matter of minutes to be called by my given name?"

Zoro jumped and scratched his head, once again turning apple red. "Don't get the wrong idea! You're still just a crummy Marine copycat girl!" _Damn…I let that slip! Tch…_ "Zoro, you are so childish! When are you going to treat me as an equal?! I'm about sick of your self touting superiority!" She unsheathed Shigure. Zoro quickly flipped into the air and behind the table where his katana lay, and grabbed his Wado Ichimonji unsheathing it in one motion. "Do you wanna end up like Monet Marine girl?!" They lunged at each other, holding their katana against one another in a deadlock, glaring at each other behind their swords. "I delivered the finishing blow! You COULDN'T do it!" Zoro pressed harder against his blade bearing his muscular frame over her, "I could've done it with my eye closed! I just wanted to see if your weak ass got any better over time!" Tashigi pushed harder, this time making Zoro shift his footing. "Why would you care anyway if I'm just a crummy COPYCAT?!" She pushed against his blade so hard that their blades were sent flying into the air and she as well, right on top of Zoro. Their faces mere centimeters apart, they didn't move paralyzed by shock.

With timing never better, Chopper walked into the workshop. He gasped when he saw the Straw Hats first mate defenseless underneath this peculiar woman of the Marines. He hid in a box in the room.

As if time slowed down, Zoro looked into Tashigi's face, noting how different she now looked. Copycat? Didn't seem so. She almost didn't resemble his late friend Kuina anymore. For once, he actually saw _Tashigi_ when he looked into her eyes. His mouth hung open at the thought as he studied her face. She was actually quite pretty! Wait no….no…no…she was beyond annoying! But her eyes seemed as though they held some deep hidden pain. Was he curious to know her story? Pshh…whose concern is that?!

….

"Ummm…Zoro…I think we should…you know…" Zoro still staring blankly into her eyes understood, "Yeah…that's a, uhhh good idea." She removed herself from on top of him and grabbed her Shigure. Zoro stood up running his hand through his hair trying to conceal his blushing face. "I think my Shigure will, um, hold up for a few more battles…I'll-I'll just be going then." She made her way out of the workshop room. Something had just transpired between them that was beyond discomfort. He swore if given ten more seconds looking at her he might have just kis-…NO WAY!

"Oi, Tashigi!"

She turned around, an unsure expression on her face.

"You knocked me back. Good job, Captain."

She nodded her head and walked off of the Thousand Sunny.

He kicked a box in the room "Shit! Why didn't I say anything?! I swear this girl is the only one that does this to me!" "OUCHHH ZOROOOO!" Zoro jumped "What the hell?!... Chopper?!" "Heheheh.." The sly reindeer scratched his head and jumped out of the box running top speed for the exit. Zoro grabbed him by his pants. "Hey you little shit, tell me what you saw!" "Nothing! Nothing! I swear! I just, I just thought the water was in here Zoro! Don't be mad!" He put him down. "Sorry Chopper…I just don't want you getting the wrong idea about that Marine girl…"

"Hmm Zoro, I think _you_ have the wrong idea about her. Seems like you like her! I think you're lovesick!" Zoro snickered, "Don't be silly Chopper. I know you're a Doc and all but that girl is a nuisance and that's it. Don't mistaken me for that shithead cook." Chopper looked down. "Okay! But… I think she might have left her glasses…" He pointed to the table by the weapon forge. "Shit! Of course! Jeez she's so clueless…" "And Zoro, I think she took your one of your Katana and left hers!"

"WHAT THE FUCKK?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" With no hesitation he grabbed his Wado, Kitetsu and Tashigi's Shigure, and sped out the door.

It took her about five minutes to realize she could not see where she was going, and that her Shigure was definitely heavier then usual. She felt the swords Tsuba. Wide and much more rounded than Shigure. It had to be Shusui. _Oh no…there's no way I could've taken it! What should I do?!_ She glanced down at the Katana, partly excited to be holding it as if it were her own, and partly nervous for what Zoro might to do her when he found her.

"Alright Shells! Let's move out! We've gotten all the loot worth anything on this damn island! Heh heh, seems like those Marines are slacking hard today boys."

 _No! That must be…Conch James!_

The Cracked Shells pirate crew made their way back to their ship with all of their spoils of pillage in hand. _Please don't spot me!…There's no way I'll be able to wield this meito!_


End file.
